Lavatory with built-in water heater



Nov. 27, 1962 c. sPoRcK ET AL 3,065,473

LAVATORY WITH BUILT-IN WATER HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1961NV TOR' am i; sym M rra/Vix;

Nov. 27, 1962 Filed June 29, 1961 c. sPoRcK ET AL 3,065,473

LAVATORY WITH BUILT-IN WATER HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United StatesPatent O Mce 3,065,473 LAVATRY WTH BUILT-JN WATER HEATER Claus L. Sporckand William Harry Busch, Cincinnati,

hio, assignors to The Lodge & Shipley Company, Cincinnati, hio, acorporation of Ohio Filed .lane 29, 1961, Ser. No. 129,741 s Claims.(ci. 4-166) This invention relates to lavatories of the type whichincorporate means for heating the water that is supplied to'them. Thus,these lavatories are employed in places where a supply of cold wateronly is available, for example, in a filling station, or in places whereit is desired to have an immediate supply of hot water at the tap, forexample, in a bathroom which is remotely located with respect to ahousehold water heater.

One of the objectives of this invention is to provide a lavatory of thetype set forth which is simpler in construction, more compact and lessexpensive to manufacture and to install than those which have beenavailable in the past. Toward this end, the lavatory of this inventioncomprises essentially a bowl and a tank which are the same general shapeso that the bowl nests within the tank. In this way, the tank takes up aminimum amount of space. Furthermore, the tank, being essentially thesame shape as the bowl, although slightly larger in diameter, is adaptedto be fabricated utilizing the same manufacturing techniques utilizedfor the bowl.

Another objective of the invention has been to provide a lavatory of thetype set forth in which the tank is easily removed and replaced, in theevent repairs are required.

Other objectives of the invention will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the following detailed description of thedrawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a cross sectional view taken on a plane which passesvertically through the center of the lavatory of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view illustrating adetail of the construction of the central area of the bowl at an edge ofthe drain opening.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view illustrating adetail of means for securing the tank to the underside of the deck ofthelavatory.

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the flow of water from acold water supply line through hot and cold valves, the tank and theaucet spout.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view looking down into the tank of thisinvention.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of a lavatory made in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

The lavatory shown in the drawings comprises a bowl, indicated generallyby the numeral 10, and a tank, indicated generally by the numeral 11. Itis preferred that the bowl, including a deck portion indicated generallyby the numeral 12, and the tank be fabricated of stainless steel,utilizing metal forming techniques such as one known by the trade markFloturn. Thus, the bowl is symmetrical with respect to a vertical axispassing through its center, being in the shape of a frustum of a cone toprovide a slanting side wall 13 and a substantially flat bottom wall 14.Preferably the deck in the annular area thereof immediately surroundingthe bowl is conifurated to provide a raised bead 15 which is circularand which is provided to strengthen the deck. As shown in FIGURE 6, thedeck may be substantially rectangular and a continuation of the uppersurface thereof may be turned up at the rear to provide a splash panel16. Additionally, a skirt 17 may be turned down from three of the outeredges of the deck at the sides and front thereof. As shown, a radius isprovided at each place where a bend 3,055,473 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 ismade in the metal forming the bowling and deck to avoid sharp corners.

A drain opening 18 is provided in the center of the bottom wall of thebowl and a drain sleeve 19 depends through this opening. As shown, anannular flange 20 at the uper end of the drain sleeve tapers outwardlyto a feather edge and then the area of the bottom wall 14 immediatelysurrounding drain opening 18 upon which this flange rests is angulateddownwardly to compensate for the taper.

The tank is formed from two Stainless steel shells, both of which areessentially in the shape of a frustum of a cone but of large diameterthan the bowl. The inner one of these two shells is conligurated toprovide a radial upper flange 21, side wall 2.2 and a bottom wall 23.The bottom wall 23 has a central opening in it as shown at 24 which isidentical in size to the drain opening 18 formed in the bottom wall 14of the bowl. The outer one of the two sheet metal shells includes anannular llange 25, a side wall 26, a bottom wall 27, an angulated innerwall 28 and an inner radial flange 29. The latter flange also has acircular opening in it, as shown at 30, which is identical in size tothe drain opening 13 in the bowl.

In the assembly of the tank, the two upper flanges 21 and 25 may befastened together by means such as adhesives. The same thing may be donewith respect to the inner flange 29 of the outer shell of the tank,where it rests against the bottom wall 23 of the inner shell surroundingthe circular opening 24 therein. The drain sleeve 19 has externalthreads 31 upon it which are designed to receive a lock nut 32. Thus,when the tank is slipped up on the drain sleeve and the lock nut 32turned up on the external threads 31, the center section of the tank ispressed upwardly. A large washer, as the one shown at 33, may beemployed between the lock nut and the inner flange 29 of the outershell. Also packing such as that shown at 34 may be interposed betweenthe tank and the undersurface of the bottom wall 14 of the bowlsurrounding the drain sleeve.

The outer edges of the tank may be secured to the underside of the deckof the bowl by means such as headless bolts which may be secured to theundersurface of the deck by means such as adhesives. The threaded Shanksof these bolts extend through matching holes in the flanges 2.1 and 25of the two shells of the tank and then a nut such as the one shown at 3Sthreaded onto the exposed end of the bolt. A gasket 36 may be interposedbetween the deck part of the sink and the flange 21 of the inner shellof the tank. It is preferred that insulation as shown at 3'7 be employedto fill the space between the bowl and the tank in order to reduce heatloss.

An electrical heater 33 is employed to heat the water. As shown, thiselectrical heater may be in the form of a doughnut and installed in thebottom of the tank in the urea thereof surrounding the inner wall 23 ofthe outer shell. If desired, the heater may be mounted outside of thetank. Electrical leads 39 may pass through the wall 28 as shown atFIGURE l. No details of this heater are shown here inasmuch as it isbelieved to be well within the expected skill of those acquainted withthe art in order to devise an adequate circuit and the properthermostatic controls in order to maintain the supply of water in thetank at some predetermined temperature level.

In making an installation, it is necessary only that a cold water pipesuch as the one shown at ill in FIGURE 4 be extended to `the site of theinstallation. This supply line may be split at a T 41 into one line 42which goes to a cold water faucet 43, and another line 44 which goes tola hot water faucet 45. A line 46 may lead from the hot water faucetinto the bottom of tank 11 and then another line 47 may lead from thetop of the tank to a faucet spout 4S. The -two faucets of the spout maybe of conventional constructio-n, although it is preferred that thespout overhang the bowl substantially, because most of the utility of alavatory of this type is in the washing of ones hands. As shown inFIGURE 1, it is preferred that the pipe 46 be iitted with-ahw insidethe`tank so that the flow of water is directed tangentially with respect tothe wall of the outer shell.

In the operation of the-lavatory, when the cold water faucet is turnedon theflow-is from the cold water supply linethrough line 42 and faucet43 directly vto the spout 48. On the other hand,when the hot waterfaucet is turned on, the -tlow is through line 44 and faucet 45, lintothe bottom of tank kllfll and then out of the top of the tank throughline `47 to the faucet spout 48. In this way, the hot water beingwithdrawn from the top of the tank is actually Vbeing pushed out of'thetank by the cold water entering the bottom. Thisfmeans, of course, thatthereis a limited supply ofl hot water, depending upon the capacityofthe-tank, but this is believed tobe noparticular detriment inasmuch asthere is some mixing of the water in the tank and the -tankhassuflicient lcapacity for washing several persons hands. One advantage tothe arrangement shown is Ithat at no time is the tank subjected to thepressure-ofthe water supply line 40. Thus, it is not necessary to'makethis'tank ofheavy metal, noris it necessary to provide elaborate sealingor fastening devicesy for the mating edges of the two shells making upthetank.

Having -described our invention, we claim:

1. In a lavatory of the type adapted to heat Water supplied thereto,rtheimprovement comprising a bowl inthe shape ofthe frustum of aninvertedcone, a deck surrounding said bowl, a Water tank inthe shape lofthe frustum of an inverted cone of a diameter larger thansaid bowl'toreceive said bowl in spaced nesting relationshipand enclose the sidesthereof,and means Vto secure theupper edge'of said'tank to the undersideof said deck.

k2. In ay lavatory ofthe type adapted to heat water supplied, thereto,the improvement comprising abowlhaving a drain opening in the bottomthereof, said bowlebeing in the, shapeof the frustum of .an invertedcone, a drain :sleeve seated within said kdrain opening and dependingfrom the underside of said bowl, Va horizontal deck .surrounding theupper rim of said bowl, a water tank, said Itank being in the shape ofthe frustum of an inverted cone of a larger diameter than said bowl toreceive said bowl in spaced nesting relationship and enclose the sidesthereof, said tank having a central opening therein matching the drainopening in the bottom of said bowl, the drain sleeve depending throughthe centralopening in said bowl, and means engageable with the'drainsleeve and with the underside of said bowl to hold the bowl in saidnesting relationship. I

3. In a lavatory of the type adapted to heat water supplied thereto, theimprovement comprising a bowl which is in the shape of the frustum of aninverted cone to provide a slanting side wall and a substantially iiatbottom, a deck formed as an integral part of said bowl and extendinghorizontally from the upper rim thereof surrounding the bowl, a tank inthe shape of the frustum of an ini verted cone of a larger diameter thansaid bowl to receive said bowl in spaced nesting relationship andenclose the sides thereof, the bottom of said bowl having a drainopening therein, a matching opening in said tank, a drain sleeveprojecting through said drain opening and -through said matching openingin said tank, and a lock nut threadedly engaged upon said drain sleeveand contacting the underside of said water tank -to hold the tank insaid nesting relationship with respect to the bowl.

4,. ln a lavatory of the typeadapted to heat water supplied thereto, theimprovement comprising va bowl which is in the shape of the frustum ofan inverted cone to provide a slanting side Wall and a substantiallyatbottom, a deck formed as an integral part of saidbowl and 4extendinghorizontally from the upper rim. thereof, a hollow Y water tankincluding inner and outer shells having slanting'side walls disposedconcentric to` but spaced outwardly from the side wall of said bowl, thebottom kof said bowl having a central drainV opening therein, a matchingopening in said tank, a ,drain sleeve projecting through said drainopening and through said matching opening in the tank, and means tosecure said tank to the drain sleeve and to said deck.

5. lIn a lavatory of the type in which apheatevr is provided to heat thewater supplied tothe lavatory, the improvement comprising a bowl ofsheet metal, said bowl being in the shape of the frustum of an invertedcone, a deck-,of sheet metal integral with said bowl and extendinghorizontally outwardly from theV rim at all sides thereof,a1l1ollow,sheet metal tank in the shape ,0f the frustum of aninvertedcone of a larger diameter than said bowl, said bowl received within-saidtank with the'upper vedge of said tank incontactwith the underside ofsaid deckso that the deck hides saidv tank from View, and means tosccurethe outer marginal edge of said tank to the deck outwardly of the bowl.

References `Cited in the tile of this patentv UNITED STATES PATENTS6711,594 Harvey Apr. 9, 19011 2,602,876. Heinen July'8, 1952 2,969,451Logan Ian. 24, 1961 FQREIGN PATENTS lisa-,533 .Austria oct. 2s, 1955395,768 Great Britain luly'27, 1933

